Mortar joint placement device



March 5, 1968 P. M. THOMAS ETAL 3,371,459

MORTAR JOINT PLACEMENT DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 26 1963 m wemE W WUL W m J w I I mw L MW mh nm ERw W Y B 6 a l/! M. M My 0 2 5 B M.B

March 5, 1968 P. M. THOMAS ET AL MORTAR JOINT PLACEMENT DEVICE 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 26 1963 L m'flgfi s PAU A RENCE WWRIGHTfiUgsELL w. BURGE EUGENE E. CRILE March 5, 1968 P. M. THOMAS E AL MORTARJOINT PLACEMENT DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 v Filed Nov. 26, 1963 INVENTOR.PAUL M. THOMAS LAWRENCE W. WRIGHT RUSSELL W BURGE EUGENE E. CRILE UnitedStates Patent 3,371,459 MGRTAR JOINT PLACEMENT DEVICE Paul M. Thomas,5630 E. Edgewood Road, Phoenix, Aria, and Lawrence W. Wright,Scottsdale, Russell W. Barge, Glendale, and Eugene E. Crile, Phoenix,Ariz.; said Wright, said Burge, and said Crile assignors to said ThomasFiled Nov. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 326,293 Claims. (Cl. 52-749) Thisinvention relates to a mortar joint placement device and, moreparticularly, to a mortar joint placement device for placing mortarbetween adjacent spaced vertical surfaces of adjacent concrete blocksbeing formed into a wall or vertical panel.

In the forming of concrete block walls it has been conventional toemploy labor for the placement of mortar between concrete blocks andvarious prior art attempts have been made to alleviate the high laborcost of mortaring concrete blocks together in Walls or vertical panels.

Such prior art attempts have involved various machinery intended for usein laying and mortaring concrete blocks together in a wall structure,however, the problem of automatically placing mortar between verticalspaced adjacent surfaces of concrete blocks have been very ditficult tosolve, particularly in the placement of mortar between concrete blocksof substantial vertical elevation.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide amortar joint placement device which is particularly adapted for use inconnection with concrete block laying machines and more particularly foruse in placing mortar joints between spaced vertical surfaces ofadjacent concrete blocks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mortar joint placementdevice which may be used etfectively in the placement of mortar betweenspaced vertical surfaces of adjacent concrete blocks having substantialelevation, as, for example, blocks having a vertical height of eightinches or more.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mortar joint placementdevice wherein a hopper feeds mortar downwardly into a tubular memberwhich may be projected downwardly between spaced vertical surfaces ofadjacent concrete blocks whereupon retraction of the tubular member isaccompanied by projection of a plunger downwardly therein to eject themortar in place between the vertical surfaces of adjacent blocks tothereby effectively fill the area between the spaced vertical surfacesof the adjacent concrete blocks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel mortar jointplacement device which comprises a hopper having a downwardly directedoutlet disposed to be placed over a space between adjacent verticalsurfaces of concrete blocks which are spaced apart, whereby air jetslocated in the area of mortar in the lower outlet portion of the hoppermay eifectively project compressed air causing entrainment andimpingement action of mortar into the space and in contiguousrelationship with and between the vertical spaced surfaces of theconcrete blocks disposed adjacent to each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mortar joint placementdevice disposed to place mortar in a space and in contiguousrelationship with vertical surfaces of spaced adjacent concrete blocks;said device comprising a downwardly directed hopper having an outlet atits lower end adapted to be disposed over said space and whereinvibrating fingers extend through the mortar in the hopper and downwardlyinto said space, and, also, wherein compressed air jets are directeddownwardly from the interior of the hopper and within the mortar thereinso that the mortar is vibrated by said fingers between said blocks andso that the mortar passing downwardly from the outlet of the hopper ispneumatically accelerated and caused to be blown and to impinge on thevertical surfaces of the blocks at opposite sides of the space, and tofill up said space, thereby providing a very dense mortar joint betweensaid spaced vertical surfaces of said adjacent concrete blocks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel mortar jointplacement device for placing mortar between spaced vertical surfaces ofadjacent concrete blocks comprising a novel hopper having a downwardlydirected outlet disposed to be located over said space, and where-- in avertically movable tamper plunger mechanism progressively moves up anddown over said space and in and out of the outlet of said hopper whereinmortar is moved downwardly around said plunger tamper mechanism and isprogressively tamped and projected into the space between the verticalspaced surfaces of the concrete blocks and compacted therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mortar joint placementdevice capable of forming a very intimate and strong mortar jointbetween adjacent spaced surfaces of adjacent concrete blocks.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention may be apparentfrom the following specification, appended claims and accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a mortar joint placement devicein accordance with the present invention and showing portions in sectionand fragmentarily together with a portion of a concrete block wall beingmortared together by utilizing conventional concrete blocks and mortar;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on a planesimilar to that of portions of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 1, butillustrating a varying position of the hopper of the device shown inFIGURE 1 wherein a tubular portion thereof is projected downwardlybetween adjacent vertical surfaces of concrete blocks during theplacement of mortar therebetween;

FIGURE 4 is another view similar to FIGURE 3, but showing a verticalretraction of the tubular portion of the hopper upwardly leaving mortarbetween adjacent spaced vertical surfaces of concrete blocks;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of a modification of the presentinvention showing mechanism taken in a disposition at degrees to that asshown in FIG- URE 1 with respect to the blocks being mortared together;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 showing the mechanism disclosedtherein disposed in operating position wherein mortar is being placedbetween spaced adjacent vertical surfaces of concrete blocks;

FIGURE 8 is another view similar to FIGURE 7 but showing the samemechanism placing mortar between concrete blocks of substantiallygreater elevation than those shown in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to that shown in FIG- URE 7 but showing amodification of the invention wherein air jet devices are connected tovibrating fingers rather than supporting the air jet mechanisms on thehopper as shown in FIGURE 6 of the drawings;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fragmentary plan sectional view taken from theline 10-40 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 11 is a vertical sectional view of a modification of theinvention shown substantially from the same direction as the structureshown in FIGURE 5 and illustrating the modification in position withrespect to a concrete block wall being mortared together;

FIGURE 12 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIGURE11 and taken from the line 1212 thereof; and

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the sameplane as FIGURE 12, but showing in detail the vertical tamper action ofthe mechanism shown in FIGURES 11 and 12.

As shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a concrete block wall 14 may beformed of a plurality of vertically superimposed courses of concreteblocks 16. Adjacent vertical surfaces 18 of these blocks 16 are spacedapart so that mortar may be placed therebetween.

Suitable clamping mechanism may be used to hold the blocks 16 inadjacent relationship to each other and spaced at their verticalsurfaces 18 while mortar is being placed therebetween. This mechanism isnot shown in the present application, and is no part of the presentinvention, however, this mechanism is necessary to prevent the spreadingof the blocks 16 away from each other.

Such clamping and holding mechanism is disclosed in our co-pendingpatent application for block laying machine, Ser. No. 288,354, filedJuly 12, 1963, now Patent No. 3,215,001.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the hopper 20 is provided with a receiving chute22 to receive mortar 24 which is vibrated into the lower portion of thehopper 20 by means of vibrators 26. These vibrators 26 are used duringthe feeding of the mortor downwardly into a tubular section 28 whichforms an outlet for the hopper 20. The hopper 20 is supported by straps30 carried by a plunger 32 of a vertical axis hydraulic cylinder orother actuator 34 stationarily mounted on a frame 36. Thus the plunger32 is capable of moving the hopper 20 upwardly and downwardly asufiicient elevation to project the tubular portion 28 downwardlybetween the vertical spaced surfaces 18 of the adjacent concrete blocks16.

Supported by the strap structure 30 and thus connected to the plunger 32is another actuating cylinder 38 having a plunger 40 connected to aresilient coupling 42 which carries an ejector plunger 44 whichgenerally fills the cross sectional area of the tubular outlet 28. Thisplunger 44 is retractable upwardly into the plunger 20 above the tubularoutlet 28, as shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, and as will behereinafter described. Such retraction is accomplished by retraction ofthe plunger 40 of the actuator 38.

Carried by the ejector plunger 44 is a vibrator 46 which is capable ofvibrating the ejector plunger 44 as it is moved downwardly slightlyafter the tubular portion 28 of the hopper 20 has been moved upwardly,as will be hereinafter described In order for the vibrator 46 to beeffective, the resilient coupling 42 freely permits vibration of theejector plunger 44 relative to the plunger 40, all as shown best inFIGURE 2, wherein a flange plate 41 couples the plunger 40 to a layer ofrubber or other resilient material designated 48. This rubber is alsobonded to a flange plate 50 which is coupled to the ejector plunger 44.The ejector plunger 44 is provided with a lower end 52 which issubstantially equal in cross section to the tubular outlet 28 of thehopper 20. This outlet is co-extensive laterally with the width of theblocks 16.

In operation the mortar 24 is held in the hopper 20 and the plunger 32is first projected from the actuating cylinder 34, carrying or forcingthe hopper 20 downwardly until its tubular outlet neck 28 is projectedbetween the adjacent vertical surfaces 18 of the concrete blocks 16.Thus the neck outlet portion or tubular outlet portion 28 is disposed inthe position as shown in FIG- URE 3, and a lower end 52 of the ejectorplunger 44 is disposed upwardly in the hopper so that vibration of thevibrators 26 may cause concrete or other mortar material to flowdownwardly into and fill the tubular outlet portion 28 of the hopperwhich is co-extensive with the vertical surfaces 18 of the blocks 16.With the extension of the plunger 32 the plunger 40 is retracted so thatwhen 4 vibration of the vibrators 26 starts the lower end 52 of theejector plunger 44 will permit concrete material to fiow downwardly intothe tubular outlet 28 of the hopper 20.

When this tubular outlet 28 is filled by vibration of the vibrators 26,the hopper 20 may "be retracted by retraction of the plunger 32 of thecylinder 34, while the plunger 40 is concurrently projected at the samerate, thus maintaining the lower end 52 of the ejector plunger 44 insubstantially stationary position whereby the mortar carried in thetubular outlet 28 is ejected therefrom as the tubular outlet 28 passesupwardly around the ejector plunger 44.

After the hopper has been retracted upwardly, as shown in FIGURE 4 ofthe drawings, the tubular outlet 28 is above the upper surfaces of theconcrete blocks 16, and the lower end 52 of the ejector plunger 44 isprojected downwardly a slight distance while the vibrator 46 isenergized to cause the mortar previously placed between the surfaces 18to settle down into intimate engagement with these surfaces. Thusvibration of the ejector plunger 44 and concurrent downward movementthereof causes the mortar to fill in the space displaced by the thinwalls of the tubular outlet 28 of the hopper 20. Thus the mortar jointis finished between the spaced vertically disposed surfaces of theadjacent concrete blocks 16.

The clamping means hereinbefore mentioned is then released so that theadjacent blocks 16 may remain mortared together, and such clamping meansmay be moved to the next adjacent vertically spaced surfaces 18 of theconcrete blocks in the wall so that another vertical mortar joint may bemade as hereinbefore described.

In the modification, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 of the drawings, ahopper 54 is open at its upper end 56 to receive mortar, and is providedwith a downwardly directed outlet neck portion 58 having an opening 60at its lower end surrounded by a gasket 62 disposed to rest on uppersurfaces of adjacent concrete blocks being mortared together.

Extending downwardly through the outlet 58 are vibrating fingers 64, allcoupled to a common horizontal bar 66 hung loosely on upwardly extendingclips 68 so that a vibrator 70 connected to the bar 66 may cause thefingers 64 to vibrate freely.

These fingers 64 are provided with lower ends 72, which are disposed tobe projected downwardly between adjacent vertical surfaces 18 ofadjacent concrete blocks 16.

Disposed between these fingers 64 are compressed air jet nozzles 74having open ends 76 directed downwardly and disposed to issue highpressure compressed air jets downwardly between the fingers 64 and intoa space between the vertical surfaces 18 of the adjacent concrete blocks16. These downwardly directed open ends 76 of the jet nozzles 74 aredisposed internally of the outlet portion 58 of the hopper andsubstantially above the outlet opening 60 so that wet concrete mortar inthe lower end of the hopper is aspirated or projected in the air streamso that it travels at high velocity and impinges into a space betweenthe vertical surfaces 18 of the concrete blocks 16, it being noted thatthe concrete blocks 16 as shown in FIGURE 8 are of considerableelevation and may represent an eight inch high modulus block as comparedto a four inch high modulus block, as illustrated in FIGURE 7.

The jet nozzles 74 are coupled to a high pressure compressed air supplymanifold 78, which may be secured to a side of the hopper 54, ifdesired. An alternate mounting for the manifold 78 is shown in FIGURE 9of the drawings, wherein the jet nozzles 74 project upwardly through thehopper and are coupled to the manifold 78 which is carried by a bar 80equivalent to the bar 66 on which the vibrator 70 is mounted. Thus aflexible hose connection may supply air to the manifold 78, as shown inFIGURE 9 of the drawings, and the vibrator 70 may vibrate the nozzles 74as well as the fingers 64.

Projecting downwardly from'the hopper 54 and outwardly of the fingers 64are mortar retaining strike bars 82 and 84. These strike bars 82 and 84are similar, and, as shown in FIGURE of the drawings, the strike bar 82is disposed to be projected downwardly at the outer vertical sides 84 ofthe adjacent concrete blocks 16 to seal the space between the verticalsurfaces 18 so that when mortar is placed between the vertical surfaces18 the members 82 and 84 will thus prevent the mortar from flowingoutwardly from the space between the surfaces 18 and thus the jets 74 aswell as the vibrating fingers 64 may place the concrete between thevertical surfaces 18 and it may fill up then to the upper surfaces ofthe blocks, all as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 of the drawmgs.

In operation the modified structure as shown in FIG- URES S to 10 isparticularly effective since it comprises not only vibration of fingerswithin the mortar being placed, but it also includes high velocitypneumatic placement of the particles of the mortar as it moves downward-1y through the outlet 58 of the hopper and around the jet nozzleopenings 76, and in this manner the mortar is very effectively placedbetween deep blocks such as shown in FIGURE 8, wherein the mortartravels downwardly at high speed and impinges in place during which timethe mortar fills up between the blocks and is then mechanically engagedby the fingers 64, which are vibrated by the vibrator 70. Thus a veryeffective and intimate mortar joint is made between the spaced verticalsurfaces of adjacent concrete blocks.

In the modification, as shown in FIGURES 11, 12 and 13, a hopper 86 isprovided with a downwardly directed outlet neck 88 having a gasket 90similar to the gasket 62 hereinbefore described. This gasket 90 operatesin a similar manner tothe gasket 62.

Disposed in the hopper 8'6 and movable in mortar 92 therein is a tamperbar 94. This tamper bar 84 is provided with a lower edge'96 almostextensive in width to the Width of the concrete blocks.

Connected to the lower end of the hopper 86, adjacent its outlet 88 andprojecting downwardly therebeyond, are mortar retainers 98 and 100similar to the mortar retainers 82 and 84 hereinbefore described.

The tamper plate 94 is connected by means of a rod 102 to a motor orfluid powered device 104! which is adapted vertically to reciprocate therod 182 and the tamper plate 94. It will be noted that this poweroperated device 104 may be a conventional air cylinder having areversing valve which causes constant reciprocation of the plunger 182,or this device 104 may be a solenoid oper ated device or a motoractuated device employing a gear train driven by an electric motor. Thusthe power operated device 104 causes up and down vertical tamping actionof the tamper plate 94 so that its lower edge 96 moves upwardly anddownwardly in the concrete 92, thereby feeding and tamping concretedownwardly through the outlet 88 and into the space between the verticalspaced surfaces 18 of the concrete blocks 16. In this operation it isnecessary to secure the blocks together by suitable clamping plates, ashereinbefore pointed out.

In the enlarged view as shown in FIGURE 13, it will be seen that thetamper plate 94 moves upwardly and downwardly, and that its lower edge'forces the concrete downwardly through the outlet 88 and into the spacebetween the vertical surfaces 18 of the blocks 16, and thus a mortarjoint may be formed between these surfaces 18. During the forming ofthis mortar joint the mortar retainers 98 and 100 prevent the mortarfrom oozing or leaking out from opposite sides of the blocks and fromthe space between the vertical surfaces 18 thereof.

When the mortar joint is completed the operation of the motor 104 isterminated and the hopper 86 together with the mortar retainers 98 and100 are moved upwardly so that these retainers 98 and 108 clear theupper surfaces of the blocks to leave the mortar neatly in place betweenthe surfaces 18.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications of the present invention may be resorted to in a mannerlimited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a mortar joint placement device the combination of: means forholding mortar having an outlet disposed to direct mortar downwardly; atubular structure at said outlet disposed to conduct mortar and holdmortar therein, said tubular structure of a dimension capable of beingprojected downwardly between spaced vertical surfaces of adjacentconcrete blocks; means for moving said tubular structure upwardly anddownwardly; and an ejector member disposed closely to fit the interiorof said tubular structure and means causing said tubular structure whenretracted upwardly from a space between vertical spaced surfaces ofconcrete blocks to move over said ejector plunger and to cause mortar tobe dispensed between said adjacent vertical surfaces.

2. In a mortar joint placement device the combination of: means forholding mortar having an outlet disposed to direct mortar downwardly; atubular structure at said outlet disposed to conduct mortar and holdmortar therein, said tubular structure of a dimension capable of beingprojected downwardly between spaced vertical surfaces of adjacentconcrete blocks; means for moving said tubular structure upwardly anddownwardly; and an ejector member disposed closely to fit the interiorof said tubular structure and means causing said tubular structure whenretracted upwardly from a space between vertical spaced surfaces ofconcrete blocks to move over said ejector plunger and to cause mortar tobe dispensed between said adjacent vertical surfaces; means forvibrating said ejector member.

3. In a mortar joint placement device the combination of: means forholding mortar having an outlet disposed to direct mortar downwardly; atubular structure at said outlet disposed to conduct mortar and holdmortar therein, said tubular structure of a dimension capable of beingprojected downwardly between spaced vertical surfaces of adjacentconcrete blocks; means for moving said tubular structure upwardly anddownwardly; and an ejector member disposed closely to fit the interiorof said tubular structure and means causing said tubular structure whenretracted upwardly from a space between vertical spaced surfaces ofconcrete blocks to move over said ejector plunger and to cause mortar tobe dispensed between said adjacent vertical surfaces; means forvibrating said first means to feed mortar downwardly into said tubularportion.

4. In a mortar joint placement device the combination of: means forholding mortar having an outlet disposed to direct mortar downwardly; atubular structure at said outlet disposed to conduct mortar and holdmortar therein, said tubular structure of a dimension capable of beingprojected downwardly between spaced vertical surfaces of adjacentconcrete blocks; means for moving said tubular structure upwardly anddownwardly; and an ejector member disposed closely to fit the interiorof said tubular struc and means causing said tubular structure whenretracted upwardly from a space between vertical spaced surfaces ofconcrete blocks to move over said ejector plunger and to cause mortor tobe dispensed between said adjacent vertical surfaces; means forvibrating said first means to feed mortar downwardly into said tubularportion; means for relative retraction in movement of said first meansand said ejector means.

5. In a mortar joint placement device the combination of: means forholding mortar having an outlet disposed to direct mortar downwardly; atubular structure at said outlet disposed to conduct mortar and holdmortar therein, said tubular structure of a dimension capable of beingprojected downwardly between spaced vertical surfaces of adjacentconcrete blocks; means for moving said tubular structure upwardly anddownwardly; and an ejector member disposed closely to fit the interiorof said tubular structure and means causing said tubular structure whenretracted upwardly from a space between vertical spaced surfaces ofconcrete blocks to move over said ejector plunger and to cause mortar tobe dispensed between said adjacent vertical surfaces; means forvibrating said first means to feed mortar downwardly into said tubularportion; means for relative retraction in movement of said first meansand said ejector means; means for vertically moving both said ejectormeans and said first means concurrently.

6. In a mortar joint placement device the combination of: means forholding mortar to be placed between adjacent vertical surfaces of spacedconcrete blocks; an outlet for said first mentioned means; downwardlydirected air jets in said outlet for projecting mortar downwardly fromsaid outlet and into a space between spaced vertical surfaces ofadjacent concrete blocks; means for retaining mortar at opposite sidesof said space and coupled to said first mentioned means; downwardlydirected fingers disposed to project below said outlet and in directionssubstantially normal to said outlet, said fingers also disposed toproject below said jet means and between said concrete blocks; means forsupporting said fingers relative to said first mentioned means and meansfor vibrating said fingers.

7. In a mortar joint placement device the combination of: means forholding mortar to be placed between adjacent vertical surfaces of spacedconcrete blocks; an outlet for said first mentioned means; downwardlydirected air jets in said outlet for projecting mortar downwardly fromsaid outlet and into a space between spaced vertical surfaces ofadjacent concrete blocks; means for retaining mortar at opposite side ofsaid space and coupled to said first mentioned means; downwardlydirected fingers disposed to project below said outlet and in directionssubstantially normal to said outlet, said fingers also disposed toproject below said jet means and between said concrete blocks; means forsupporting said fingers relative to said first mentioned means and meansfor vibrating said fingers; gasket means surrounding said outlet anddisposed to provide a seal therearound and engageable with uppersurfaces of concrete blocks at opposite sides of said space between saidvertical surfaces of said spaced adjacent concrete blocks.

8. In a mortar joint placement device the combination of: a means forcontaining mortar; a mortar outlet for said means opened downwardly anddisposed to be placed over a space between vertical surfaces of adjacentspaced concrete blocks; a vertical tamper plate disposed in said meansand operable vertically adjacent to said outlet and thereabove; meansfor vertically reciprocating said tamper plate whereby reciprocation ofsaid tamper plate in said first means tamps mortar downwardly throughsaid outlet and into a space between vertical spaced surfaces ofadjacent concrete blocks; gasket means surrounding said outlet anddisposed to form a seal at opposite sides of said space between saidvertical surfaces of said concrete blocks.

9. In a mortar joint placement device the combination of: a means forcontaining mortar; a mortar outlet for said means opened downwardly anddisposed to be placed over a space between vertical surfaces of adjacentspaced concrete blocks; a vertical tamper plate disposed in said meansand operable vertically adjacent to said outlet and thereabove; meansfor vertically reciprocating said tamper plate whereby reciprocation ofsaid tamper plate in said first mentioned means tamps mortar downwardlythrough said outlet and into a space between vertical spaced surfaces ofadjacent concrete blocks; means for relative retraction in movement ofsaid tamper plate and said first means gasket means surrounding saidoutlet and disposed to form a seal at opposite sides of said spacebetween said vertical surfaces of said concrete blocks; means connectedto said first mentioned means and disposed to be located adjacentopposite sides of said concrete blocks and to seal the space betweensaid spaced vertical surfaces of said adjacent concrete blocks toprevent excessive leakage of mortar outwardly from said space betweensaid vertical surfaces when said tamper plate is tamping mortar intosaid space.

10. In a mortar joint placement device the combination of: a mortarcontainer having a downwardly directed outlet; means disposed to propelmortar vertically and downwardly through said outlet and into a spacebetween adjacent vertical surfaces of spaced concrete blocks; and meansto induce vibration concurrently with the inducement of vertical forceon mortar being placed in said space.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,926,415 9/1933 Wertz 181,953,452 4/1934 Wertz 18 2,761,305 9/1956 Davis 52-744 2,925,102 2/1960Cummings et al 141-263 2,940,298 6/ 1960 Joseph 52-749 3,179,134 4/1965Sigrist 14167 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,025,373 1/ 1953 France.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

P. C. FAW, M. O. WARNECKE, Assistant Examiners.

1. A MORTAR JOINT PLACEMENT DEVICE THE COMBINATION OF: MEANS FOR HOLDINGMORTAR HAVING AN OUTLET DISPOSED TO DIRECT MORTAR DOWNWARDLY; A TUBULARSTRUCTURE AT SAID OUTLET DISPOSED TO CONDUCT MORTAR AND HOLD MORTARTHEREIN, SAID TUBULAR STRUCTURE OF A DIMENSION CAPABLE OF BEINGPROJECTED DOWNWARDLY BETWEEN SPACED VERTICAL SURFACES OF ADJACENTCONCRETE BLOCKS; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID TUBULAR STRUCTURE UPWARDLY ANDDOWNWARDLY; AND AN EJECTOR MEMBER DISPOSED CLOSELY TO FIT THE INTERIOROF SAID TUBULAR STRUCTURE AND MEANS CAUSING SAID TUBULAR STRUCTURE WHENRETRACTED UPWARDLY FROM A SPACE BEWEEN VERTICAL SPACED